Register Now

In order to be able to post messages on the SailNet Community forums, you must first register. Please enter your desired user name, your email address and other required details in the form below.Please note: After entering 3 characters a list of Usernames already in use will appear and the list will disappear once a valid Username is entered.

User Name:

Password

Please enter a password for your user account. Note that passwords are case-sensitive.

Password:

Confirm Password:

Email Address

Please enter a valid email address for yourself.

Email Address:

OR

Log-in

User Name

Password

Remember Me?

Human Verification

In order to verify that you are a human and not a spam bot, please enter the answer into the following box below based on the instructions contained in the graphic.

Additional Options

Miscellaneous Options

Automatically parse links in text

Automatically embed media (requires automatic parsing of links in text to be on).

Automatically retrieve titles from external links

Click here to view the posting rules you are bound to when clicking the'Submit Reply' button below

FWIW, readers will understand the post better - the right adjective is "documented", not "registered", and the result is a certificate of documentation, not a title. Registering and a title relate to a different activity and a different piece of paper.

Usually, you record the lien in one of three places: 1) in a federal entity whose responsibility it is to track such things; 2) with the state where the asset resides; and 3) in the state where the owner/debtor resides. If you search all 3 of those, you've gone a long way toward ensuring there aren't any outstanding liens.

Very true but a boat that has moved around also has the potential to being liened where it has been.

Example: A CT boat skips out on a yard bill in SC.

Nothing is foolproof.

07-12-2013 02:28 PM

jimgo

Re: Boat Too Cheap to get a Buyer's Broker?

Usually, you record the lien in one of three places: 1) in a federal entity whose responsibility it is to track such things; 2) with the state where the asset resides; and 3) in the state where the owner/debtor resides. If you search all 3 of those, you've gone a long way toward ensuring there aren't any outstanding liens.

07-12-2013 02:00 PM

sailpower

Re: Boat Too Cheap to get a Buyer's Broker?

Although a CG document is not a title, they do refer to the results of their lien search as an Abstract of Title. The CG search is not free. The CG charges $25 for an “Abstract”.

Note that this does not guarantee that the boat is 100% lien free. It is true that most liens against a documented vessel are recorded against the CG document but sometimes they are not. It is usually impractical to do a UCC lien search in all 50 states so it is what it is.

The boat is USCG registered. You can request a free title search from them. Though, I lucked out, in that when talking with the USCG office, they told me that the boat had no liens, so I did not have to request the free title search. Which meant, no waiting/worrying.

Btw, the reason I learned all that was bc when I looked up the boat on their site, it had a different owner listed... the individual the seller purchased the boat from. As it turned out, she never sent in the paper work, so it was still in his name. Luckily, it was a matter of sending that paperwork along with mine.

As for the broker bit, since this was an individual sale, as opposed to a broker listed sale, a neighbor recommended the marine broker, who educated me wrt how to go about doing the title search.

FWIW, readers will understand the post better - the right adjective is "documented", not "registered", and the result is a certificate of documentation, not a title. Registering and a title relate to a different activity and a different piece of paper.

07-12-2013 07:19 AM

Minnewaska

Re: Boat Too Cheap to get a Buyer's Broker?

You can always use a buyer's broker, even if the boat is not listed. It means you are going to pay them above what you pay for the boat, as opposed to the commission coming off the top of the sales price.

Many make the mistake of thinking the broker showing them a listed boat is working for the buyer, when the seller listed with their own broker. When the seller is paying the commission, all brokers are working for the seller unless the contract says otherwise.

That said, it would be almost unheard of to use one for a transaction this small. The much bigger issue is than sub $5k boats can frequently have negative value. If any major item, like sails, stand or running rigging, core moisture, engines, etc, are bad, they can wipe out value. If you are not familiar with these, even a limited survey would make sense. Otherwise, you become the next person trying to sell a boat with no value or face expensive fees to have her cut up and taken away.

The boat is USCG registered. You can request a free title search from them. Though, I lucked out, in that when talking with the USCG office, they told me that the boat had no liens, so I did not have to request the free title search. Which meant, no waiting/worrying.

Btw, the reason I learned all that was bc when I looked up the boat on their site, it had a different owner listed... the individual the seller purchased the boat from. As it turned out, she never sent in the paper work, so it was still in his name. Luckily, it was a matter of sending that paperwork along with mine.

As for the broker bit, since this was an individual sale, as opposed to a broker listed sale, a neighbor recommended the marine broker, who educated me wrt how to go about doing the title search.

After more research, I did the title search myself (to ensure there were no liens). It was touch and go, at first, but with persistence, and due diligence, I was able to acquire my boat, sans broker.

How did you do the title search?

07-11-2013 07:18 PM

sailingfool

Re: Boat Too Cheap to get a Buyer's Broker?

As a rule if the boat is listed with a brokerage, you will work with a broker on its purchase and it is not your choice.

In general if the boat is not listed with a broker you will not work with a broker on its purchase.

Period. You really don't get to chose. Whether the boat is listed with a broker decides it.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

07-11-2013 07:08 PM

shadowraiths

Re: Boat Too Cheap to get a Buyer's Broker?

When I purchased my boat, there were potential title problems, so I contacted a broker. They would have done the title search + all the transfer paper work for $250. After more research, I did the title search myself (to ensure there were no liens). It was touch and go, at first, but with persistence, and due diligence, I was able to acquire my boat, sans broker.

So, to the question, why would you need a broker? Primarily to ensure a clean title. Though, again, and imho, you can do that sort of footwork, yourself. ymmv, of course.

This thread has more than 10 replies.
Click here to review the whole thread.